Tag! You're It!
by SandyJ62
Summary: You train, you look for him, you find him, you chase him, and then he runs away. Failure once again. No more. You've tried it their way, now you're going to do things your way. NaruSasu, no lemons. Please read and review.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Tag! You're It!

Author: geekgirl62

Mood: Contemplative

Rating: PG-13 for language.

Spoilers: None really. I don't think it is a surprise that at some point Sasuke gets rid of Orochimaru and Itachi

Summary: My idea of what might happen on a Sasuke retrieval mission. This is a one shot that is complete, but I plan on posting in three parts.

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto Masashi not me.

Part One

_I didn't need to work hard to find him. After all, I still had the fox demon's heightened senses to track him with. I could hear the leaves rustle under foot. I could hear the sound of his sandals landing on each limb as he leapt from tree to tree. I could even smell the acrid odor of his sweat mixed with the unmistakable scent of blood. My nose tells me he is stopped here in this clearing. So, I stop too, watching and sniffing the air. Waiting for when the time is right. Looking down from my perch I see him sitting by the stream, tending to what looks like a nasty gash on his arm. Damn. I had this all worked out in my head. It was supposed to be so easy. Now what? I just sit and stare, unable to move. When suddenly I feel those red eyes bore into my soul and I hear his voice._

"Are you going to stay up there all day? I know you're there Naruto. Come down and face me. I'm too tired to play games", Sasuke snarls.

Laughing to himself Naruto replies, "Still as impatient as ever aren't we?", as he jumps down from the tree and walks over to stand by Sasuke.

"Naruto, what do you want?"

"Me? Nothing. I just came by to fill my canteen in this stream here."

"Very funny. You've been following me ever since I left the snake-sannin's hideout. I'll only ask you one more time. What do you want?", Sasuke hisses as he pulls his katana out and quickly moves behind Naruto, his blade drawn up to the other's throat.

"I'm not here to drag you back to the village. I just want to talk to you. Put the sword down and let me look at that wound. You're bleeding all over me."

"I'm supposed to do what now? Trust you? Why? So you can take advantage of the opportunity to jump me and drag me back to the village? No way."

"Sasuke, you know me better than that. How far do you think you'll get injured. This area is crawling with Leaf-nin and who knows what else."

"Fine", Sasuke growls, sheathing his katana.

"Sasuke, it would be easier for me if you sat down. Thanks. Don't panic. I'm just pulling out my first aid kit. I need to clean it first. You need stitches or it won't heal properly."

Jumping to his feet, Sasuke snarls once again, "You're crazy if you think I'll let you get near me with a needle!"

"Sasuke, don't be stupid", Naruto shouts! Just sit down and let me stitch that wound." And without a word, Sasuke plops down on the ground, eyes looking down, intent on studying every blade of grass, while Naruto slowly but confidently begins tending to his wound.

"Naruto, now that you have my attention, talk."

Finally after a taking a few seconds to organize his thoughts, he answers, "You see, it's like this, all this time you've been away, I've been training as hard as I could for the day I would take you back to the village. I swore to Sakura that I would succeed even if I had to break every bone in your body and have to carry you all the way back."

"So tell me something I don't know", Sasuke gloats, the every present smirk gracing his features.

"I know I'm not strong enough to bring you back by force. A good ninja always reevaluates his plan, and makes adjustments as needed, or so Shikamaru says anyway."

"Well, you seem to have smartened up a little", Sasuke snorts. "You're finally going to give up on me then?"

"No, you big jerk and quit interrupting me! Tell me, Sasuke, what is home to you?", Naruto implores thinking at the same time. _Wow, that sounds lame even to me. It actually sounded better in my head when I came up with it. Well it's too late now, I guess I'll just have to wing it._

"I don't have a home anymore", Sasuke responds in a voice barely above a whisper. _Home, he thinks to himself, what a joke. At one time, he actually thought it was possible for him to have a home again, some kind of a life he could share with his teammates, who had become not only his trusted friends, but his new family. But he was just kidding himself, he was destined to die as he lived, alone. _

Snapping Sasuke out of his trance, Naruto shouts, "That's not true!" And resisting the urge to punch the annoying Uchiha in the face, Naruto explains in a much calmer voice, "Home isn't just a house, or a village, or a country. Home is that place where someone is thinking about you. I'm that someone and that place is Konoha. OK, I'm finished. Take this first aid kit. You'll need to change the bandages every couple of days. I'm going back to the village now. You know where to find me."

Sasuke shouts back at him in utter frustration, "THAT'S IT! YOU CAME ALL THE WAY OUT HERE TO TELL ME THAT!"

"Ugh, yeah. Why, did you want me to break every bone in your body and drag you back to the village? Cause I am more than willing if you want me to!"

"NO! There are things that I need to do. ALONE. BY MYSELF. You wouldn't understand."

"I'm not stupid Sasuke. I do understand. There are some things a man has to do for himself without any help. Even if it's just to prove to himself he is worthy enough to be called a man. We all have our own crosses to bear. I just wanted you to know if it ever gets to heavy, you can always count on me to share the load."

"Naruto, I …

Naruto bows his head and in an exasperated voice says, "I can't do this anymore Sasuke. I'm tired of the constant battling between us. It may have been fun while we were kids, but we're not kids any more. I'm not giving up on you coming back to Konoha, but I am done chasing you. Maybe the next time we run into each other, we can just act like normal people and talk without either one of us trying to kill the other. As Naruto walks away, his last words are, "See you later, Sasuke."

_tbc_


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Tag! You're It!

Author: geekgirl62

Mood: Contemplative

Rating: PG-13 for language.

Spoilers: None really. I don't think it is a surprise that at some point Sasuke gets rid of Orochimaru and Itachi

Summary: My idea of what might happen on a Sasuke retrieval mission. This is a one shot that is complete, but I plan on posting in three parts.

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto Masashi not me.

Part Two

_Well, I guess that didn't go so bad, thought Naruto as he took to the trees. I hope I'm doing the right thing. I'd better get going. Sakura will kill me if I make them wait too long._

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_See you later? What the hell just happened? Naruto is really leaving me? Yeah right. I'm not falling for this. You are so obvious. This has to be some sort of trap. I better follow him and see what he's really up to. _

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_For the next day and a half, I follow Naruto. I watch him lazily stroll through the woods as if he was without a care in the world. What's it like to feel that kind of contentment, to be at peace with yourself and the world? I envy him. I watch him skip stones across a shallow pond, listening to him count the skips out loud. I even watch him at night, his chest slowly moving up and down in a sleep induced rhythm. I imagine I can even hear him breathing. Every puff of air he exhales stirring in me memories of missions past, the days and nights of shared tents, shared meals, shared laughs, shared dreams, and even sometimes shared bed rolls. Laughs? In those days Naruto was even able to make me laugh. The annoying pest. Just when I thought I had him all figured out he goes and does something crazy like this. Why? Why now? He's always been there, in front of me, pushing me, urging me on to surpass him. We've always been rivals, constantly trying to outdo each other. He is right about one thing. We aren't kids anymore. What's the point of this constant fighting? Why didn't I just kill him when I had the chance? Did I ever really want him dead? Did I ever really want to break that bond we share? Now that I can finally get rid of him for good, I hesitate. Why? I'm confused. I thought I had all the answers. Orochimaru. Itachi. Both of them out of the way now. I'm the leader of my own team. I can do whatever I want to do, but, what that is exactly, I don't know anymore. _

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While Sasuke watched, Naruto made a small fire and began heating up some water.

"Hee hee hee. I love lime flavored shrimp ramen! All you need is some hot water and ta da! LUNCH! No, it's more than lunch, it's heaven in a Styrofoam cup!"

_Sniff. Sniff. Sniff. Uchiha. He's still around. He's been following me for the last day or so. I wonder if now is the time to talk to him? _

Naruto finally shouts up into the surrounding trees, "Sasuke! I know you're following me, I can smell you! Boy, do you need a bath! Come down here and have some lunch!"

"Naruto, I'm right here. Could you make any more noise? We're still in enemy territory, you know! And what do you mean you can smell me?"

"I have the senses of a fox, remember?"

"Really. That must come in handy", Sasuke replies, covertly trying to smell himself.

With that ear-to-ear grin on his face Naruto asks again, "Want some ramen?"

"Fine."

And laughing Naruto says, "I'll take that as a yes, You're still the same old chatter box eh, Sasuke? I know you've been following me, so what do YOU want? "

Sasuke silently glares at Naruto, concentrating on finishing his ramen. "This stuff will rot your insides out. Don't you ever eat anything else?"

Ignoring Sasuke's nutritional lecture Naruto continues, "I told you. I'm not chasing you any more. Besides, you've got things to do. ALONE. BY YOURSELF. I of all people don't want to keep you from your quest."

Sasuke stands and begins to walk away. "So you have given up on me. I thought you always kept your word? Fine! If you don't want me around I'll leave you alone with your ramen."

Tossing his ramen cup aside, Naruto suddenly throws himself at Sasuke, knocking him to the ground.

"Naruto, get the hell off me! What do you think you're doing?"

"You bastard! I think I'm kicking your ass! You have some nerve! I've only been chasing you all over creation for most of my life. Did you think I would be able to keep this up forever? Do you think I enjoy being rejected every time I try to reach out to you? So how does it feel, to be ignored, to be rejected? Sucks doesn't it?

Sasuke looks intently into those indigo eyes, as all the hurt, anger, and confusion spill out in each tear that rolls down his whiskered cheeks, "Naruto I'm sorry! Please, I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I'm sorry doesn't cut it, Sasuke. And you're wrong, I haven't given up on you. You gave up on me."

"Naruto…

"Sasuke, if that's all you have to say, then just leave me alone!"

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_It's happened again. For the second time in as many days I watch Naruto leave me. And I'm powerless to stop him. Me, the Uchiha, powerless. Who am I kidding? Did I even try to stop him? I wanted to, but I didn't. Why? No matter what Naruto says there will come a day when he leaves me, for good. No amount of good intentions will change that. I'm so tired of losing people I love. And yet that is exactly what has happened. Sakura, Kakashi, Naruto, and even Konoha. Right about now, the leaves are turning color and beginning to drop. I remember how the sky at night would get so clear you could see every star without a telescope. All I have are my memories, and sometimes they are just not enough. I do have my new team. I have avoided getting overly attached to me them though. Sounds familiar? Oh, I care if they live or die, but only because they are…useful. I actually feel sorry for them. They have been nothing but loyal and would probably die for me, and all I have to say about them is that they are useful. Naruto and I. We are the same. Both of us stuck in a pattern of behavior neither one of us can break. Or so I thought. I'm still stuck, Naruto isn't, not anymore. I wonder … _

_tbc_


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Tag! You're It!

Author: geekgirl62

Mood: Contemplative

Rating: PG-13 for language.

Summary: My idea of what might happen on a Sasuke retrieval mission. This is a one shot that is complete, but I plan on posting in three parts.

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto Masashi not me.

Part Three

Sakura is waiting at the edge of camp, all the while noticing that Naruto is alone.

Gripping Naruto by the shoulders in a quick hug, she gives him a chaste kiss on the cheek. "C'mon. Sai is waiting for us", she says leading him over to their tents.

"Naruto, glad to see you uninjured", Sai exclaims, a genuine smile on his face. "Are you hungry?"

"I'm so hungry I could eat a horse", Naruto replies. "Where did you get the fish, Sai?"

"There is a lake just beyond these trees."

"Sai, this is fantastic. You're gonna make some lucky girl happy", Naruto gushes, causing Sai to blush.

Giggling nervously, Sakura gently punches the blonde nin, "Naruto, you're embarrassing Sai, stop it!"

"Sorry Sai. I'll clean up. Why don't you two go for a walk or something."

"Naruto, that really isn't necessary…", Sai begins.

"I insist", Naruto shouts, shooing them both away. "It's the least I can do for two of my best friends. Really, I mean it", Naruto says, his face turning solemn.

Reaching out to brush his unruly blond hair off of his face, Sakura replies, "You thought your plan might take some time and not work right away. Be patient."

Smiling at the pink haired nin, Naruto smiles, "Don't worry about me, I'll be alright. When I'm done here I'm going to check out the lake, so don't wait up for me."

"Ok, Naruto. Where to Sai?"

"I found this beautiful waterfall on the right side of the lake that I'd like to sketch while there's still enough light."

_As Sakura and Sai walk away, sketching supplies in hand, Naruto concentrates on the task at hand and in 15 minutes is standing by the lake. In the distance, he watches dark clouds amassing and thinks, the rain will be here soon. Of course I left my rain gear back at the camp. These trees look like a good place to use as shelter. _

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_Damn you Naruto. I could be comfortable in a cave somewhere. But, no, I'm cold and soaking wet. At least the rain hid my scent. What are you doing out here by yourself? _

Hidden from the rain under a canopy of trees, Naruto talks out loud, addressing his thoughts to no one in particular, "I wish you could see this lake Sasuke. It's beautiful. It reminds me of the lake near your house in the Uchiha district. Remember? We would just lie in the grass and talk about what we would do when we became ninjas. Sometimes we would just watch the clouds go by." Suddenly, dropping to his knees, he pounds the ground with both fists, venting his frustrations in the only way he knows how, "Damn it. I promised myself I wouldn't cry again. Why Sasuke? Why won't you come back to me? I miss you."

"Dumbass girl."

"What did you say?"

"You heard me, moron."

"Sasuke?"

Rolling his eyes Sasuke retorts, "Who else were you expecting? Close your mouth before you catch some flies. Plus, it makes you look stupid. You got any spare clothes? I'm soaking wet and freezing cold and …."

Before he can even finish his sentence, Naruto has him in a bear hug, threatening to squeeze all the air out of his lungs. "Sasuke, you're back!"

"Hey, watch the stitches", Sasuke yelps. "Oh by the way, I figured out your plan a long time ago. Really, did you think reverse psychology would work on an Uchiha?"

Naruto can only respond with a smirk of his own.

As the two walk back to the encampment side by side, Sasuke takes hold of Naruto's arm, stopping him in his tracks and leans in to whisper in his ear, "You're wrong, I never gave up on you."

Naruto turns to face Sasuke, his arms wrapping around him, pulling him close enough so that there is nothing but thin fabric separating them. "Sasuke", Naruto breathes. It's now or never. Naruto tilts his face up toward the raven haired Uchiha as he hesitantly kisses him. He is unsure if this is the right thing to do, until Sasuke responds and deepens the kiss between them, gripping Naruto's upper arms tightly. "Naruto", Sasuke exhales.

_Slowly, they separate, Sasuke taking Naruto's hand in his, a smile just forming on his lips, matched by the gleam of anticipation in his eyes. What more needs to be said? With a wicked grin on his face, Naruto leads Sasuke back to his tent and thinks to himself, wait 'til the morning when they see Sasuke with me. But in the mean time, sunrise is still hours away …_

_the end _

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End file.
